The way BB’s timetable is structured, he does not have a lunch break even though they end school around 3 pm (after starting school at 7:30 am), so when he comes home, he is super hungry and starts rooting for something to eat. We usually have some biscuits at home, but I was on the lookout for something slightly healthier.

I came across a couple of versions of this chivda, which is basically a mixture of various ingredients, traditionally deep fried, but which in this case, was dry roasted and so healthier. I made it and it was a hit, and a large bottle of this chivda didn’t even last a week. As soon as I finish this blog post, I’m off to making a new batch!

Puffed Rice and Flattened Rice Flakes Chivda

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flattened rice flakes (Poha)
• 4 cups puffed rice (Mumra)

For the seasoning

• 3 tbsps oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup raw peanuts
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• Salt to taste

Method:

• In either the stove top or the microwave, dry roast the flattened rice flakes and puffed rice till they are crisp, but not burned. This should take around 10-15 minutes on the stove top and around 5-6 minutes in the microwave.
• If you are using a microwave, make sure you roast it in increments of 1 minute each and in between each roasting, stir well. In the stovetop, also keep stirring to ensure it does not burn.
• In a smaller pan, in the meantime, heat the oil, and when the oil becomes warm, add the raw peanuts and fry for a while till the peanuts start to become crisp.
• When the peanuts start to crisp up, add the other seasoning one by one in this order – mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric powder. When the peanuts are really crisp and ready, add the sugar and salt and remove the pan from the fire.
• Pour this seasoning over the roasted flattened rice flakes and puffed rice and mix thoroughly. Check for sugar and salt and let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. It should easily last for a couple of weeks or so, but I seriously doubt it will last that long.